Family Time

I wake up Wednesday morning with a smile. After spending Tuesday morning with Mom and Dad, showing them my favorite hiking trail in the Linville Gorge Wilderness. We then hit one of my favorite restaurants for a hearty brunch.

Today I'm planning to take them to the Mint Museum of Art. Dad will love the history and Mom will love the art.

I take a quick shower and throw on a pair of comfortable, cute, skinny jeans (with only a couple small holes) and a lacy gray blouse. I add some dangly silver earrings and my slightly worn black and silver watch.

I'm just finishing a bowl of Cinnamon Toasters and skim milk when I hear a knock at the door. I shove in the last bite and run my bowl and spoon to the sink before heading to the door.

Mom comes in first wearing a cute floral sundress. Dad follows in his typical cargo shorts with a funny t-shirt. They settle on the couch while I go to my room for my purse. I check to make sure my keys are in the front pocket (as they always are), shove my phone in the main pocket, along with my planner, and return to the living room.

"Shall we go?" I ask.

"Yes," Mom says, standing. I follow them out to their rental car (they insisted on driving, which I was fine with me since I still hadn't cleaned out my car). We're on our way when Mom turns and gives me a look.

"What?" I ask, knowing her 'I have a bone to pick with you' look.

"Why haven't we seen Kimmy yet?" she demands.

I laugh. "She's really busy with work right now, but she managed to get some time off to join us tomorrow morning." Of course Mom wants to see Kim. They pretty much became fast friends the first time Mom visited me at college and met my then-new roommate. Now Kim asks me about Mom and vice-versa regularly. I've considered giving them each other's numbers so they can cut out the middle man, honestly.

"Oh good. I can't wait to meet that boyfriend of hers."

I frown. "I'm not sure if Dante is coming."

Mom scowls for a moment, then her smile returns. "Well, at least Kim can show us pictures and tell us about him. He sounds like a really good guy."

"He is. They're really good together," I say, ignoring the familiar twinge of jealousy. I hate it. I hate that talking about the happiness of Kim, whom I love like a sister, stings. I don't want to feel this way anymore! "Well, are you excited to see the US Mint Museum?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Oh yes," Mom says while Dad nods. Our family is definitely a museum family. I don't know if I can think of a single time that we travelled somewhere new and didn't visit a museum. It used to drive me and my siblings crazy, but I learned to enjoy it as I got older and developed my own love of history.

With a history buff engineer (Dad) and an art teacher (Mom) for parents, our museum visits have always been opportunities to discuss and think about what we see. I've missed that. Kim will go with me, but she's not big into talking. She prefers soaking in the sights in silence. Jeff only went with me once. He said that he wasn't a fan of looking at and talking about a bunch of old crap and refused to go with me again.

Thankfully, my trip with Mom and Dad is completely different. When we arrive, Dad is in awe of the beautiful old building. We manage to drag him inside to get our passes.

For the next three hours, we wander around, sometimes just looking at the exhibits and reading the descriptions, sometimes talking about things that we really like. My favorite part is the display of beautiful dresses. I stop and imagine myself in each one. I've always had a thing for pretty dresses. It's probably the little princess inside.

I'm looking at my favorite dress (again) when I hear a loud voice approaching. I turn and watch a couple stroll in. The woman is loudly denigrating one of the exhibits in the room they just came from. The man at her side nods occasionally, looking rather forlorn.

I shoot him a sympathetic smile, which he returns. Moving to the next room, I find Mom and Dad discussing a lovely vase. I try to listen, but my thoughts are elsewhere.

Did I look like that poor man when Jeff and I went shopping? He had a nasty habit of loudly complaining about people, products, and employees. I often felt embarrassed to be with him. Wow. It's so weird to look back and realize how many things about our relationship made me unhappy.

But still, I miss having someone. I just want to find someone who doesn't drag me down next time.

After leaving the museum, we head to lunch at Natal's. I remember that Everett worked here and wonder that I never saw him. This is one of my favorite places to eat. Of course, I was never in the back and the chefs don't really come out to the dining room often.

The food is, as always, delicious. When we're done, we head back to my apartment and chat until it's time for me to head to work.

Thursday morning, Mom and Dad's last morning in Charlotte, I sign us (Mom, Dad, Kim, and myself) up for a historical city tour in a golf cart. As expected, Mom and Dad love seeing all of the sights of the city. Kim and I share smiles at their excitement.

It only takes about an hour and a half. We end at an Irish pub, eating some fried pickles. I laugh at Dad's disgusted face (he's not a fan of pickles in general) while Mom, Kim, and I devour the delicious little calorie bombs.

When we're done, we just walk around my favorite part of the city, browsing through stores and chatting. I enjoy having Mom and Kim along to go clothes shopping with me. I've always liked having people to give me opinions on clothes. And Mom and Kim both have very good senses of style.

They help me pick out a cute new sundress and a cute tankini with off-the-shoulder sleeves (and spaghetti straps to provide support) and a pretty floral print on the top and dark shorts underneath. It gets me excited for spending time at the pool in my apartment complex, which will hopefully open up soon.

Kim gets herself a cute purse and Mom finds a nice shirt. Dad just rolls his eyes and carries our bags for us, stopping at various game stores while we hit the clothing stores.

We end together at a cute little used book store. It usually has a good selection of Nancy Drew books. I am trying to collect the whole original Nancy Drew series, so I check the memo in my phone where I have recorded which ones I still need and grab a couple off the list.

Mom smiles when she sees what I'm buying. "You always did love a good mystery novel," she says. "I think you read through every Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys book in the library when you were younger."

"I do love libraries. And mysteries," I answer, remembering the small library back home. I spent hours there every summer relaxing in one of the worn leather chairs and reading.

"Do you get to go to your library here often?" Mom asks.

I frown. "I haven't even gotten a library card yet."

"Really?"

"Lacy Lou, I didn't know you were big into libraries," Kim says.

I shrug as Mom shoots me a concerned look. "I just never had time in college to really read for fun. I guess I got out of the habit. And then, I've been so busy getting this restaurant up and going that I never got back into it. But I will."

"We can get library cards together," Kim says. "Dante has been encouraging me to find a new hobby. Apparently spying on the neighbors is not the greatest way to spend my free time."

Mom and I laugh. "We'll go next week," I promise Kim.

Dad rejoins us with an arm full of biographies. Mom and I look at each other and laugh again.

"What?" Dad says defensively. "We don't have these ones yet."

Mom just pats his arm. "I know, honey. We'll add them to our collection."

We leave with move bags hanging on our arms. I check my watch and realize that we only have a little while for lunch before I need to get to work. We hit the mall food court to save time.

When we finish our meal, Mom and Dad drive Kim and me back to my apartment. They come in to say their goodbyes.

Mom holds me in a tight hug. "I love you, Lacy Lou. I'm so proud of you. Your restaurant is wonderful. I'm so glad we got to spend time with you."

"I love you too, Mom." I tighten my arms around her, not wanting to let go.

We eventually part and I turn to Dad, grabbing him in a hug. "Good job, Lacy," he says. "Thanks for hanging out with your folks. I love you."

"I love you, Dad. Thank you for coming."

They give Kim hugs goodbye as well, then head back to their hotel to pack for their flight. I feel tears prick my eyes as I watch them drive away. I always forget how nice it is to spend time with my family. It makes parting much harder.

Kim calls me away from the window. "Man, your parents are so cool! Thanks for inviting me to spend time with y'all."

"Of course! Mom would have never forgiven me if she didn't get to see you," I say with a smile.

"Well, I'm glad we got to see them. Are you headed to work now?"

"Yep."

"With you working evenings and me working normal hours, we need to figure out a time to hang out."

"Well, since I'm home in the mornings to get housework done, we can hang out on Sundays when I'm off."

"Great! I'll see you Sunday then?"

"For sure." I wave as Kim heads out, then quickly get ready for work exchanging my comfy jeans for a pair of gray dress pants and my t-shirt for a nicer blue and white blouse. I slip on cute white flats and put my hair in a bun instead of the braid I wore to the museum.

Time for another night at Lovebird Cafe.